Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, a division of AFC Enterprises, Inc. (NASDAQ:AFCE), today officially marked its entrance in the Twin Cities market, celebrating the opening of nine new Popeyes locations in the area in the last six months with a Jazz Band Flash Mob through downtown Minneapolis. The band was accompanied by a Popeyes food truck that provided complimentary Popeyes Handcrafted Tenders to the crowd with Popeyes team members handing out Mardi Gras masks and coupons.
Popeyes has planned four more restaurants to be completed by the end of 2013, totaling 13 new restaurants in the Minneapolis / St. Paul market.
“Over the past year, the response to Popeyes Louisiana-inspired cuisine at the new Minneapolis/St. Paul area locations has been remarkable,” said Ralph Bower, Popeyes President, U.S. “Our Twin Cities guests are as passionate about our food as any guests we’ve seen, so this New Orleans-themed celebration is a way to show our appreciation and officially announce, ‘Popeyes is here!’”
The event included a twist on traditional dance flash mobs, with New Orleans-style jazz bands popping up at previously undisclosed locations throughout downtown Minneapolis, and Popeyes team members handing out Mardi Gras masks with Popeyes coupons inside, valid through the end of September. Passersby were also greeted by “Popeyes Has Arrived!” banners and were served free Handcrafted Tenders at the Popeyes food truck located at 8th Street and Hennepin Avenue.
“There has been so much excitement around opening these restaurants,” said Dick Lynch, Popeyes Chief Global Brand Officer. “Guests have expressed their enthusiasm with each opening, and restaurants are reporting superior sales and guest reception. We’re so pleased to be able to mark this occasion with such a great celebration.”
